Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan later this month to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a significant diplomatic event for both nations. This visit, confirmed by the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, is notable as it will be the first by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in almost a decade. The summit, scheduled for October 15-16, will be hosted by Pakistan under its rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.
According to the Pakistani Foreign Office (FO), an official invitation has also been extended to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with leaders from other member nations. Several countries have already confirmed their participation in the high-profile event, which is expected to address key regional and international issues.
In anticipation of the summit, Pakistan has finalized a comprehensive security plan. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting where the deployment of additional security forces was approved. Personnel from the Pakistan Army, Rangers, Frontier Corps (FC), and Punjab police will be on duty to ensure the safety and security of all participants during the summit.
Last year, in May 2023, Pakistan’s then-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari visited India to attend an SCO meeting, marking the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to India in over 12 years. Following his visit, Bhutto-Zardari described it as a positive step, emphasizing the importance of addressing bilateral issues like Kashmir and participating in multilateral forums like the SCO. His visit underscored the diplomatic importance of maintaining engagement despite longstanding tensions between the two neighbors.
